Danny Murphy has slammed Fulham's summer recruitment policy - claiming it's their biggest single problem after their horrendous start to the Premier League.

The Whites added 12 new faces to the squad over the summer, spending in excess of £100million, but for the most part, those signings have failed to live up to expectations, with the vast majority not having top flight experience.

The former captain has highlighted Damien Duff's signing as something Fulham should've added in the summer, but didn't.

The Irishman made more appearances for the club than any of the other teams he played for in his career and helped them get to the Europa League final in 2010, but he didn't sign for the club until he was 30-years-old.

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Nowadays, he wouldn't be looked at by the club's recruitment department, who place and emphasis on signing players under the age of 28 unless they will add immediate value to the club, although this seems to have been overlooked on two occasions with the signings of Ragnar Sigurdsson two seasons ago and Fabri this summer.

Calum Chambers, Alfie Mawson and Timothy Fosu-Mensah were all signed, and while they've played Premier League football in the past, they are all still extremely young and don't add that know-how that is clear the side are currently missing.

Slavisa Jokanovic has come in for criticism this season for the poor start, and while Murphy doesn't think the head coach is entirely blameless for the start, he believes the main problem lies with the recruitment.

Fulham's Danny Murphy celebrates after scoring his goal against Burnley during a Premier League match (Image: IAN KINGTON/AFP/Getty Images)

Speaking in his Daily Mail column, Murphy said: "The sad irony is that Fulham wouldn't have dreamed of signing a Damien Duff last summer. Too old, no re-sale value. And that recruitment policy is costing them, £100million spent and bottom of the table – too many players learning together and nobody to help them.

"It's a great shame because Fulham is close to my heart. I was honoured to be Roy's captain, his voice on the pitch because we spoke the same football language, and even after I retired as a player, they involved me in the process of appointing a new manager, though they ultimately gave it to the interim, Kit Symons.

"So it's frustrating for me to see the current structure the club is adopting and I fear for them at Liverpool on Sunday unless Slavisa Jokanovic has a tactical rethink. If they play open, with the centre halves split and full backs pushed up high, they will get destroyed on the turnover, as they were against Arsenal when they lost 5-1.

(Image: Martin Rickett/PA Wire)

"Jokanovic isn't blameless but a failed recruitment policy has been the single biggest problem.

"In my opinion, if you spend the money Fulham did, you can bring in a better selection than they managed last summer even in an era of inflated transfer fees. A manager who won promotion via the play-offs needs players in the Premier League who have been there, seen it, done it.

"Fulham signed a mixture of newcomers, like Jean-Michael Seri and Luciano Vietto, or unproven, such as Calum Chambers and Aleksandar Mitrovic. They will either need time to adapt or aren't good enough in any case. Who is there going to get the best out of Ryan Sessegnon as Gary McAllister did with a young Steven Gerrard at Liverpool?

(Image: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

"I accept Andre Schurrle had some experience at Chelsea and he's probably been the most effective signing so far but the others need to stand up and be counted. The injury to Alfie Mawson has been unlucky but even he got relegated last season.

"That said, Jokanovic now has to work with what he's got and it means being more pragmatic. Cardiff scored four goals in their first eight games – and then scored four against Fulham in 90 minutes. That tells you everything about Fulham's defence.

"It doesn't have to be like that. You can still organise regardless of quality as Chris Hughton has got the maximum out of his squad at Brighton.

(Image: Mike Egerton/PA Wire)

"Fulham try to play what they'd see as the right way but there is nothing wrong with having a balance. There is a reason they can't play out as well this season as they did in The Championship. Their opponents now are better, smarter and know when to press. Fulham will have less of the ball than they did last season, that makes you physically tireder. When you add on individuals freezing and making basic individual errors, you can see why they are struggling.

"Ultimately, the manager usually carries the can. But as long as Fulham's remit from the top is to prioritise value for money on every signing, it won't work. You need a mix. In January they need to go out and sign a few Damien Duffs."